NBA Rumors - Zach Lowe believes the Rockets are preparing for the return of James Harden
Recent NBA rumors suggest that Philadelphia 76ers superstar James Harden may be on his way back to Houston this offseason. ESPN analyst Zach Lowe shared some interesting insights while talking to Tim MacMahon.
Coming off a disappointing Eastern Conference semi-finals series loss against the Boston Celtics, the 76ers head into their offseason with a lot of uncertainty. Particularly with regard to Harden's future with the franchise.
Harden took a massive pay cut in the offseason to ensure that the 76ers could build the team they needed to contend for the title. While this sees him contracted to Philadelphia for another season, the guard seems to have different ideas.
As per recent rumors revealed by Zach Lowe, the Houston Rockets may have their hat in the ring for acquiring Harden. While speaking to Tim MacMahon, Lowe said:
"I don't know what Harden is going to do," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "God only knows. I don't know what the hell James Harden is going to do."
When MacMahon addressed the notion of Houston knowing Harden's intention of returning, Lowe added:
"I know the Rockets think he's coming."
ESPN’s Zach Lowe on James Harden: “I know the Rockets think he's coming,”
The return 👀
(h/t @RealGM ) https://t.co/qB2R8Wqg8h
There were rumblings that Harden expressed a "very serious" interest in returning to Houston. Considering the manner in which the culture resonates with him, the superstar may just wish to return to a familiar setting.
.@wojespn says there's "a very real possibility" that James Harden returns to Houston 👀
"If [the Rockets] win the lottery ... and they're the ones who can draft Victor Wembanyama, my sense is that would not necessarily change the Rockets' intentions to pursue James Harden." https://t.co/TvIXpkYxD3
On paper, the duo of Harden and Joel Embiid presented the potential to be one of the most potent duos in the NBA. However, after two unsuccessful playoff runs, it is safe to say that the experiment didn't exactly pan out the way it should have.
With a lot of uncertainty lying ahead for the 76ers with regard to Harden's situation, it will be interesting to see how the whole thing plays out.
Should James Harden go back to Houston?
The notion of a reunion between James Harden and the Houston Rockets is exciting for fans. Harden rose to superstardom with Houston and delivered some historic performances while donning the jersey. However, expecting the same of him now may not be realistic.
Harden made an effort to get into shape this season and it yielded impressive results for the most part of the regular season. Unfortunately, the title push came up short and the 10-time All-Star practically disappeared in the semi-finals series.
Returning to Houston would likely be great for Harden on a personal level. In a familiar environment and system, the 2018 NBA MVP would benefit from having the freedom to operate.
Unfortunately, it could also possibly see the end of his chances at contending for a title.